My Love Coming Home

Witness: Linda Budd
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Date of Encounter: January 14, 1993

My Husband was in the Navy at the base in Millington, Tennessee, about 10 miles from our house. He worked nights a lot, and would call every day around 9 AM just to tell me he missed me and that he would be home at noon. We were married 18 years and he was the love of my life.

He died suddenly and with no warning on January 14, 1993. The phone rang at 9 AM that day to tell me to come to the Navy hospital. It was the Staff Sergeant calling — the one who shared his office. When I got to the hospital, I knew what they were going to tell me because I had been having dreams for months beforehand that my husband was going to pass away.

When the higher-ups (the brass) came out of his room and told me he passed on, it was no shock to me. I Loved my husband with all my heart.

The time of death was 9:02 AM and when I got home, my girls and I went into the house through the back door (we hardly ever used the front door). I was sitting on the couch trying to figure out what to do next when the front door blew open. I looked at the girls and then at the clock on the wall. It was noon.

I no longer live in that house. We have moved since then but before we left everyday at noon you could hear the sounds of the front door opening and footsteps in the hall. My love was coming home. Somehow I found this comforting to know that not even death could keep him away.